Pacific Ocean -- September 24, 2013 -- (NNS)
-- The U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN
73) and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, completed a large-force
exercise with the U.S. Air Force, Sept. 25.

George Washington and CVW 5 coordinated eight days of joint
service, air-to-air combat training with the U.S. Air Force's 18th Wing to
include 27th Fighter Squadron (27 FS), currently deployed to Kadena Air Base in
Okinawa, Japan, and the 44th Fighter Squadron (44 FS) stationed at Kadena Air
Base.

An F/A-18E Super Hornet (VFA) 115 takes off from the USS George
Washington (CVN 73)

"Our goal in the exercise is to train our capabilities and
tactics against a capable opponent in the U.S. Air Force," said Lt. Jeffrey
Drewiske, CVW-5's strike warfare officer. "It's important to train with joint
services for an interoperable and mission capable force within the U.S. 7th
fleet area of operations."

The training exercise consisted of numerous scenarios, some
of which included more than 60 aircraft in the air at one time.

"We practiced fighter integration, where we mix together
fourth and fifth generation fighter aircraft to familiarize ourselves with each
other's methods and tactics," said Air Force Capt. Kevin Heath, an F-22 Raptor
instructor pilot mission commander assigned to the 27 FS. "It's a great
experience to fly with Navy pilots, and to see different aircraft platforms and
how they operate."

Aircraft that participated in the exercise included the Air
Force's F-22 Raptor; F-15C Eagle, KC-135 Stratotanker and E-3 Sentry, and the
Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and E-2C Hawkeye.

"Many of the exercises were air-to-air engagements; both in
offensive counter for air power projection and defensive counter to protect
George Washington and its vital assets," said Drewiske. "It was a memorable
learning experience to work with the Air Force because almost no other air wing
gets a chance to train with them on a large scale."

Exercises are an important element to a successful training
program.

"Everything we gain and learn from this exercise, we can
apply to future missions from a small-level exercise to a real-world scenario
because we have gone through a similar motion before and know how to do it,"
said Heath. "It's important to train with other joint services because we are
going to fight alongside each other if we go to war. It's vital for us to know
how a Navy pilot flies and vice versa."

George Washington and CVW 5 provide a combat-ready force that
protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies
and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.